UK digital media network Amscreen has announced a ‘machine-to-machine’ deal that will see Vodafone SIM cards built in to every one of Amscreen’s electronic signs across Europe.

It follows Amscreen’s agreement to expand its BP forecourt signs into European petrol stations last July.

Digital security company Gemalto has acquired machine-to-machine specialist SensorLogic. Full details of the transaction haven’t been revealed.

SensorLogic will join the Cinterion M2M module business acquired by Gemalto last year.

The latest report from Pyramid Research says smartphones are expected to account for 90.8% of all handsets sold in the UK by 2016, driving the demand for mobile data.

Data card adoption and an uptake in machine-to-machine services are predicted to see mobile penetration in the UK reach 152.8% (98 million subscriptions) by the end of the next five years.

Retrieva, the UK-based company that produces dog tracking collars with built-in GPS tracking, has announced a deal with specialist virtual mobile network Podsystem.

It’ll allow Retrieva to use Podsystem’s MultiNet Europe SIM cards for a premium roaming service that’ll simplify costs and will allow European owners to track their dogs across national borders.

Vodafone has published its half-year financial report for the six months that ended on 30th September 2011. It made £6.0 billion in operating profit and now expects to hit £11.4 - £11.8 billion for the full year, which is better than it anticipated six months ago.

Group revenue was up 4.1% year-on-year to £23.5 billion, while earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) were up 2.3% to £7.5 billion.